Christian Names

This page examines the christian names recorded in the census years.
Whilst the spelling of most of these was well established, it is clear that
the guidance given to enumerators had a significant effect on what was
recorded as in 1841, when the enumerators were encouraged to use abbreviations
such as 'Thos' and 'WM' because the space allowed for names was quite small.
Also an individual enumerator could introduce variations as in the unusual
recording of 'Elizabeth' in an abbreviated form 'Elizth'.

It was usual for the first born son to be named after the father and the
first born daughter after the mother, perpetuating popular names such as William.
It seems clear, however, that christian names became more varied over time, with
increasing recording of additional initials and second christian names.

The Popularity of Christian Names

At the present time, the Christian (first) names given to children is of
public interest with the publishing of tables listing the most popular first
names each year. The recent birth of a son to Prince William and his wife Kate
and his Christening as "George", presumably after his great grandfather
George VIth was widely reported and will no doubt lead to a
rise in popularity for "George" as a first name for some years to come.

This page examines the popularity of first names as given in the
census returns.

The guidance given to enumerators varied over the census years.
In 1841, the space on the form was limited and the abbreviation of names,
such as Thos for Thomas, was suggested. In later years the inclusion of a
second name or an initial was suggested. In the four tables below, no attempt
has been made to consolidate the data to take account of shortenings,
familiar and diminutive versions such as Wm and Wllm
with the proper name, in this example, William. Also, where a second name
or initial is included, this is treated in these four tables as a different first name.

The first two tables identify the most popular first names of males
and females of all ages that appear in the returns for each census year.

The next two tables identify the most popular first names of
males and females under the age of 10 that appear in the returns
for each census year. This should correspond closely with the
children born in the approximately 10 year period since the
previous census, giving a better guide to the changes in the
popularity of first names over the census years.

Popularity of first names for males

Rank

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

1

William (312)

William (307)

William (264)

William (260)

William (229)

William (233)

William (218)

2

John (308)

John (252)

John (194)

John (196)

John (170)

George (181)

George (175)

3

Thomas (208)

Thomas (205)

Thomas (169)

George (194)

George (160)

John (139)

John (134)

4

James (205)

James (199)

James (148)

Thomas (171)

Thomas (139)

James (124)

Charles (101)

5

henry (145)

George (161)

Henry (145)

James (160)

James (139)

Henry (120)

Thomas (97)

6

George (139)

Henry (137)

George (143)

Henry (145)

Henry (121)

Charles (118)

James (89)

7

Charles (99)

Charles (123)

Charles (133)

Charles (131)

Charles (118)

Thomas (117)

Henry (88)

8

Richard (70)

Richard (80)

Joseph (56)

Joseph (68)

Edward (64)

Alfred (75)

Frederick (81)

9

Joseph (69)

Joseph (65)

Edward (52)

Frederick (61)

Joseph (49)

Arthur (68)

Alfred (71)

10

Edward (52)

Edward (61)

Richard (48)

Edward (56)

Arthur (48)

Frederick (64)

Harry (63)

11

Robert (35)

Robert (39)

Alfred (46)

Richard (50)

Alfred (46)

Edward (59)

Arthur (57)

12

Samuel (31)

Frederick (37)

Frederick (38)

Alfred (45)

Walter (39)

Harry (51)

Albert (56)

13

Daniel (25)

Samuel (35)

J (28)

Robert (29)

Harry (37)

Joseph (49)

Edward (54)

14

David (19)

Alfred (32)

Robert (27)

Arthur (25)

Richard (37)

Albert (46)

Frank (45)

15

Frederick (17)

Daniel (24)

Samuel (27)

Walter (23)

Frederick (36)

Walter (42)

Walter (43)

16

Alfred (17)

Stephen (16)

W (17)

Daniel (22)

Robert (26)

Richard (38)

Joseph (40)

17

Edwin (14)

Francis (15)

David (15)

Samuel (22)

Fredrick (25)

Frank (32)

Ernest (36)

18

Stephen (12)

Edwin (15)

Benjamin (14)

Harry (21)

Albert (22)

Ernest (26)

Robert (31)

19

Francis (12)

Benjamin (15)

Walter (14)

Benjamin (17)

Edwin (18)

Robert (25)

Richard (28)

20

Wm (11)

David (13)

Daniel (14)

Albert (12)

Frank (17)

Herbert (21)

Herbert (22)

Popularity of first names for females

Rank

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

1

Mary (364)

Mary (239)

Sarah (196)

Mary (178)

Elizabeth (145)

Mary (138)

Mary (117)

2

Sarah (261)

Elizabeth (228)

Mary (186)

Elizabeth (178)

Mary (134)

Elizabeth (128)

Elizabeth (107)

3

Ann (239)

Ann (226)

Elizabeth (159)

Ann (174)

Sarah (130)

Sarah (111)

Annie (100)

4

Elizabeth (222)

Sarah (220)

Ann (156)

Sarah (169)

Eliza (95)

Eliza (88)

Emily (89)

5

Jane (89)

Eliza (110)

Eliza (111)

Eliza (104)

Ann (94)

Emily (84)

Sarah (84)

6

Hannah (69)

Jane (94)

Jane (87)

Emma (79)

Ellen (81)

Annie (82)

Edith (75)

7

Martha (68)

Mary Ann (92)

Mary Ann (80)

Ellen (77)

Emma (72)

Alice (76)

Alice (73)

8

Emma (66)

Emma (82)

Emma (80)

Mary A (76)

Emily (65)

Ellen (71)

Ellen (65)

9

Eliza (59)

Martha (65)

Caroline (60)

Emily (75)

Annie (63)

Emma (64)

Eliza (64)

10

Caroline (47)

Hannah (64)

Fanny (52)

Jane (73)

Alice (63)

Ann (60)

Mary A (55)

11

Harriet (43)

Caroline (49)

Martha (52)

Mary Ann (59)

Fanny (55)

Edith (58)

Florence (54)

12

Charlotte (39)

Ellen (46)

Ellen (51)

Caroline (56)

Mary Ann (53)

Fanny (52)

Emma (46)

13

Maria (37)

Louisa (44)

Mary A (50)

Fanny (56)

Jane (49)

Rose (40)

Ethel (42)

14

Ellen (36)

Fanny (43)

Hannah (50)

Martha (50)

Caroline (49)

Louisa (39)

Rose (39)

15

Fanny (34)

Charlotte (43)

Emily (50)

Hannah (46)

Louisa (44)

Florence (39)

Jane (38)

16

Anne (30)

Mary A (36)

Charlotte (37)

Alice (39)

Martha (41)

Caroline (37)

Fanny (37)

17

Elisabeth (25)

Maria (34)

Anne (36)

Louisa (38)

Edith (36)

Kate (37)

Louisa (36)

18

Louisa (25)

Emily (33)

Louisa (34)

Harriet (36)

Harriet (35)

Ada (36)

Kate (35)

19

Elisa (25)

Susan (31)

Harriet (32)

Annie (35)

Rose (34)

Mary Ann (34)

Caroline (35)

20

Sophia (24)

Harriett (27)

Maria (30)

Susan (28)

Mary A (34)

Jane (34)

Ann (34)

Popularity of first names for males under the age of 10

Rank

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

1

William (84)

William (66)

William (48)

George (52)

William (45)

William (39)

William (30)

2

Thomas (55)

James (47)

Henry (44)

William (45)

George (25)

George (23)

George (26)

3

George (55)

John (45)

George (44)

Charles (37)

John (24)

Arthur (20)

Frederick (21)

4

John (54)

Henry (43)

James (37)

John (32)

Charles (23)

Harry (19)

Frank (19)

5

James (47)

Thomas (42)

Charles (30)

Thomas (30)

Henry (23)

Albert (19)

John (13)

6

Henry (40)

George (41)

Thomas (29)

Frederick (28)

Thomas (22)

Charles (17)

Albert (13)

7

Charles (36)

Charles (41)

John (23)

James (27)

Arthur (20)

Frederick (17)

Harry (12)

8

Joseph (19)

Frederick (24)

Alfred (22)

Henry (23)

Alfred (19)

Alfred (16)

Arthur (12)

9

Edward (19)

Alfred (21)

Frederick (20)

Arthur (18)

Edward (18)

Frank (16)

Cecil (11)

10

Richard (15)

Edward (21)

Joseph (15)

Walter (15)

Walter (16)

Thomas (15)

Alfred (10)

11

Frederick (11)

Joseph (12)

Edward (11)

Edward (14)

Harry (16)

Henry (11)

Ernest (9)

12

Edwin (10)

Richard (9)

Harry (10)

Joseph (12)

Albert (16)

John (10)

Edward (9)

13

Robert (10)

Walter (7)

J (8)

Harry (11)

James (14)

James (10)

Leonard (9)

14

Samuel (8)

Francis (6)

Walter (6)

Alfred (9)

Fredrick (13)

Edward (9)

Walter (9)

15

Alfred (8)

Edwin (6)

Samuel (6)

Richard (7)

Frederick (12)

Ernest (9)

Henry (9)

16

David (6)

Samuel (6)

H (5)

Albert (6)

Frank (11)

Walter (7)

James (8)

17

Thos. (5)

Arthur (5)

Richard (5)

Ernest (6)

Ernest (8)

Herbert (6)

George A (8)

18

Benjamin (5)

Robert (4)

David (5)

William H (5)

Joseph (6)

Richard (6)

Charles (8)

19

Francis (4)

Daniel (3)

William H (4)

William J (5)

Willm. (5)

Harold (5)

Thomas (7)

20

Frank (3)

Frank (3)

W (4)

Francis (4)

Herbert (5)

Robert (5)

Bertie (7)

Popularity of first names for females under the age of 10

Rank

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

1

Mary (71)

Mary (37)

Ann (28)

Mary (26)

Edith (23)

Alice (24)

Edith (20)

2

Ann (46)

Elizabeth (36)

Ellen (23)

Ellen (26)

Alice (20)

Ethel (20)

Ethel (18)

3

Sarah (41)

Sarah (33)

Eliza (23)

Elizabeth (24)

Ellen (18)

Edith (20)

Annie (17)

4

Elizabeth (36)

Emma (30)

Emily (22)

Sarah (23)

Annie (17)

Mary (19)

Florence (16)

5

Emma (27)

Ann (28)

Sarah (22)

Emily (22)

Elizabeth (17)

Annie (16)

Daisy (15)

6

Eliza (21)

Eliza (27)

Mary Ann (19)

Emma (19)

Emily (14)

Florence (15)

Dorothy (13)

7

Ellen (16)

Mary Ann (25)

Emma (18)

Alice (19)

Rose (14)

Rose (12)

Emily (12)

8

Harriet (16)

Jane (23)

Mary (18)

Eliza (18)

Mary (14)

Emily (10)

Mabel (12)

9

Caroline (16)

Emily (17)

Elizabeth (16)

Ann (16)

Florence (13)

Daisy (9)

Elsie (11)

10

Fanny (15)

Fanny (16)

Fanny (15)

Mary Ann (13)

Fanny (12)

Gertrude (9)

Alice (10)

11

Hannah (15)

Louisa (14)

Louisa (13)

Jane (12)

Kate (12)

Elizabeth (9)

Rose (9)

12

Jane (15)

Ellen (14)

Mary A (12)

Fanny (11)

Sarah (11)

Kate (8)

Ivy (8)

13

Louisa (13)

Caroline (12)

Jane (11)

Annie (11)

Ada (11)

Mabel (8)

Gladys (8)

14

Elisa (13)

Hannah (10)

Caroline (10)

Rose (10)

Eliza (10)

Emma (7)

Elizabeth (8)

15

Emily (11)

Charlotte (10)

Harriett (9)

Louisa (10)

Louisa (9)

Fanny (7)

Lilian (7)

16

Charlotte (10)

Harriett (9)

Alice (8)

Ada (10)

Emma (8)

Ellen (7)

Florence M (7)

17

Maria (9)

Martha (8)

Elizth (8)

Martha (9)

Clara (8)

Eliza (6)

Ada (7)

18

Martha (7)

Amelia (7)

Clara (8)

Anne (9)

Minnie (7)

Lizzie (6)

Nellie (6)

19

Margaret (6)

Lydia (7)

Harriet (7)

Caroline (9)

Agnes (6)

May (6)

Hilda (6)

20

Susan (6)

Maria (6)

E (7)

Edith (8)

Margaret (5)

Alice M (5)

Violet (6)

Conclusions on specific names

In the tables below, names with second names or initials are included in the total,
although it is possible that there might be a rare double counting where an entry includes
three or more names or two names followed by an initial. Also some abbreviations or
spelling variations are included. The numbers shown for individual names are consequently
significantly higher than the corresponding values in the tables above.

The graphs use the percentage of the total number of children, including both boys and girls

'William' is the most popular name for for children under 10 years old in all but one census year,
1871, when 'George', second in popularity most years, was most popular. It seems remarkable that in
1841 over 7% of children, probably one in seven boys were christened 'William'.

Most names that were very popular in 1841 were much less popular in later years, particularly for
girls, where Mary, Ann, Sarah, Elizabeth and Emma, the five most popular in 1841, did not feature in
the top ten in 1901, when Edith, Florence, Ethel, Annie and Daisy were the five most popular.

The popularity of 'Annie' is interesting, almost totally replacing both 'Ann' and 'Anne'. Both
'Elizabeth' and 'Eliza' declined in popularity also, but without a significant increase in the
popularity of 'Lizzie'

At the end of this page there is a form which allows the entry of names separated by ',' (comma)
for a combined total for those names and by ';' (semi colon) for separate totals

The top five boys' names in 1841

Name

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

William, Willm., Wm

86

72

64

65

73

70

59

George,Geo

56

47

53

66

42

37

53

John

56

53

32

40

37

25

27

Thomas,Thos

56

48

35

35

25

24

25

James

47

51

39

30

22

16

10

The top five boys'names in 1901

Name

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

William, Willm., Wm

86

72

64

65

73

70

59

George,Geo

56

47

53

66

42

37

53

Frederick, Fredrick, Frederic

14

30

28

35

34

29

46

Albert

3

2

1

13

28

32

30

Arthur

4

5

8

31

34

27

29

The top five girls' names in 1841

Name

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

Mary

76

76

59

56

29

36

9

Ann

46

32

29

19

4

1

1

Sarah

42

41

33

38

18

5

2

Elizabeth,Elisabeth,Elizbth,Elizth

42

39

28

28

25

13

12

Emma

27

32

22

21

9

7

2

The top five girls' names in 1901

Name

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

Edith

0

0

5

15

39

39

36

Ethel

0

0

0

2

5

29

28

Annie

0

1

9

23

28

21

25

Florence

0

0

3

6

34

36

32

Daisy

0

0

0

0

3

12

21

Variations of Ann

Name

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

Ann

46

32

29

19

4

1

1

Anne

6

1

10

10

3

3

1

Annie

0

1

9

23

28

21

25

Variations of Elizabeth

Further study of the nine firstnames of "Elizth" in 1861 shows that all
were in the enumeration district containing West Hill and it is probable
that this is simply an enumerator using an abreviation to speed up his task.

Name

1841

1851

1861

1871

1881

1891

1901

Elizabeth,Elisabeth,Elizbth

38

39

20

28

24

13

12

Elizth

4

0

9

0

2

0

0

Eliza

21

28

26

23

11

8

1

Lizzie

0

0

0

2

6

7

3

For other first names, enter the names separated by commas and semi-colons and click the "Extract data" button.

Note that results are consolidated for names separated by commas.

Note that names followed by a second name or initial are also included.